In the process of making paper from wood pulp, a continuous sheet of damp paper is removed from a supporting web and wound up on a large support roll having relatively large diameter hollow trunnions through which a heating medium is passed to complete the drying of the paper being wound on the roll. The paper roll trunnions are mounted in bearings which are housed in a pair of bearing blocks releasably secured near the edges of horizontal floors of a pair of spaced stationary support structures. Although the bearings are designed to provide a relatively long service life, they eventually will wear with use to such an extent that they need to be replaced. When replacing the bearing, the bearing and the bearing block in which it is installed must be removed from the associated trunnion. The paper roll is very large and hence is quite heavy. The axial end of the paper roll from which the bearing and its bearing block are being removed must be lifted to relieve the bearing of load to permit removal of the bearing block and replacement of the bearing. The bearing block is mounted so close to the edge of the support that it is not possible to place a supporting jack directly under the trunnion when replacing the bearing.